God Fog

God's like a fog that waits for me to fall
down on my knees and open up my heart
that, with sincere concern to hear His call,
lets Him come stealing in to work His art.

God's like the sun that burns aside the mist
of worldly visuals and their fawning noise
that we attract when blithely we resist
His bright and warm ubiquity of joys.

God's like a world that will not go away,
distracting us from cozy worlds we own,
a wondrous beacon for a future day,
whose gentle nagging won't leave us alone.

O God of foggy world and searing sun,
warm well my will and world until they're won.

                         -- by Pete Voelz       1/10

Priority God

O God, I often feel mixed up, confused,
what goes so wrong when things don't turn out right?
Some laugh at me but I am not amused,
when I'm provoked, sometimes I want to fight.

I take a risk, I do want to be brave,
but when I lose, I see the flaws in me,
so many there I see I want to save,
slapped down, I'm forced to face reality.

O God, when I am lost, thank God, You're there,
if my priority is You, I win,
I turn to You for answers to my prayer,
once more Your mercy's stronger than my sin.

Us two, O Lord, let nothing come between,
You love me and I love You sight unseen.

                                            -- by Pete Voelz     7/09

Like to Love

We tend to come to love the ones we like,
like ones who have an open humble mind,
who work and do not wait for fate to strike,
who try hard to “be kind, be kind, be kind.”*

We like to be around a happy heart,
we’re glad to share their gladness when we fall,
we saw Blest Mother Theresa’s joy was smart,**
and Catholic nuns the happiest ones of all.***

Who can resist a brave and gentle soul,
that shows it cares by being sweetly active,
and draws us free, not trying to control,
with virtues that made Jesus so attractive?

Of course, it helps to be loved, Lord, like You
if one could work a miracle or two.

* Henry James’s advice to his nephew seeking his
fortune when asked for what was most important.

** Named by half of Americans in a 2000 poll
the most important person of the 20th century.

*** Discovered to be the happiest profession
of all in a U.S. survey two decades ago.

                     by Pete Voelz     4/30/14

Heaven Faith

“A little faith will bring your soul to heaven,
a lot of faith brings heaven to your soul.”*
St. Therese of Avila said it is heaven
here in this life just going to that goal.

The Patriarchs and Prophets had great faith,
and Noah, Joseph, Moses, David too,
the blessed martyrs, faithful unto death,
with heaven in their hearts to heaven flew.

St. Peter walked on water, then he cried,
for he had faith Christ would forgive his sin,
but Thomas’s small faith could not abide,
‘til Christ’s wounds he could put his fingers in.

Yet Jesus said though His wounds we don’t see,
if we believe, then blest with heaven are we.

* Quote from Stephen Thabah, Shillong, India.

                              by Pete Voelz     5/4/14

God Trickster

O God, how You have tricked me many ways,
like a magician with Your bag of tricks,
Your audience You manage to amaze,
I wonder--is this how You get Your kicks?

Taught that my family, church and school were good,
I knew not how good ‘til them I embraced,
You tricked me then, and more when, understood
grown up and with them, I was fully graced.

You urge me to help others in their need,
but hide the joy of helping ‘til it’s there,
You plant a friend just like a mustard seed.
that blooms into a joy that is so rare.

Maybe they’re real, O Perfect Justice Lord,
and not a trick, but just a just reward.

            by Pete Voelz     4/28/14

Rome 'n Home

Almost a million pilgrims flocked to Rome,
a city full of faith and much new paint,
I, like a billion Catholics, stayed at home,
and chatted with a canonized new saint.

Popes John Paul Two and John the Twenty-Third,
so worthily praised and prayed to over there,
with throngs, high Masses, liturgy and Word,
we folks praised here with common Mass and prayer.

By TV, Internet we joined their praying,
we didn’t miss the hoopla that we missed,
Great God came here to us where we were staying,
we ate His Body in the Eucharist.

Bless those, O Lord, who swelled Your flock in Rome,
as now beatified, they straggle home.

                                    by Pete Voelz     5/2/14

Sunshine Love

The love of God glows like the sunlight shines,
it fills the world in every nook and cranny,
each shadow fades and to its bed resigns,
the dying of the dark is so uncanny.

Sin falls to light as soon as it’s forgiven,
rage and its hate collapse before God’s love,
hell disappears from sight once we’re in heaven,
dark here below must bow to light above.

The Lord’s own light of love enfolds us all,
surrounds the world and penetrates our souls,
no one should fear to hear God’s loving call,
we need not ask for whom His love-bell tolls.

God’s light, though silent and invisible,
envelopes me, His humblest miracle.

                   by Pete Voelz      4/30/14